The Parent Trap
by finalfantasygirl16
Summary: All seven year old Mar'i wanted was to know who her father is, when her mother sends her to a co-ed camp, little did she know, she would find her answer with a ten year old boy named Damian. Dick/Kory.
1. The Parent Trap

AN: I don't see many stories with Mar'i in them so here's this~ Original with the title, aren't I? Yes. Yes. I know :B

Summary: All seven year old Mar'i wanted was to know who her father is, when her mother sends her to a co-ed camp, little did she know, she would find her answer with a ten year old boy named Damian. Dick/Kory.

The Parent Trap

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"_L is for the way you look at me  
O is for the only one I see  
V is very, very, extraordinary  
E is even more than anyone that you adore and_

_Love is all that I can give to you_  
_Love is more than just a game for two_  
_Two in love can make it_  
_Take my heart and please don't break it_  
_Love was made for me and you"_

It was their song; it was the song playing at the soiree that his father was holding that night they met. It was the song playing when he smirked at her, offering her his hand, the one she gladly took as he took her to the center of the ballroom, it was the song that played as he leaned in closer and told her just how beautiful she looked, it was the song he sang to her when he gave her a promise ring, and it was the song he played every year for their anniversary.

They were only teenagers when they met but they've already experienced a love much greater than any twice their age. He was dashing, quick-witted, ever so kind and charming; his dark hair always in an unruly fashion and his piercing blue eyes; oh those eyes, how she could stare into them forever and just get lost. She herself had gorgeous green eyes, a shade unlike any other, and her hair was a fiery red auburn shade that suited her personality, she was kind, confident, independent, and there was an innocent charm about her that he loved so much.

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To a crowd, they looked like the perfect couple, always attending gatherings, parties, balls, charity events, anything that involved them to be seen together or accompanied by a date – they were always together and to his father's dismay and disapproval.

He didn't quite understand his father, well in fact, he didn't at all. He was old enough to make his own decisions and he wasn't like his father, he actually liked the idea of perhaps someday getting married, settling down, and having kids of his own. His father was well old enough to be married and have everything. He had children, just, he never married nor committed to anyone. Sometimes he thought, maybe his father feared it.

She on the other hand was a well known model who moved to the United States when she was young. Her own native home was a small tropical country known as Tamaran. She had an uncle who raised her so he was the closest thing she had to a father and he always encouraged her to follow her heart. She found her heart and the person she very well thought of as her soul mate, the only problem that always kept holding them back was her boyfriend's father. She knew she was unwelcomed and unwanted by him but that didn't stop her from loving his son. She wanted to prove to him that she wasn't just any model, she also knew how to design clothes, in fact, half of what she model were some things she helped to create. She never got to show them the other side of her, just like she never got to tell her boyfriend that she was pregnant.

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Kory Anders; her name and a well known name that was seen on every fashion magazine published in the city and even overseas. If someone stopped her, she would gladly pose for a quick picture or sign an autograph. She was charismatic and a people person, and if you just mentioned the name 'Kory' – people knew who you were talking about. She always planned to get to her boyfriend's job early so she could drop off his lunch she made him, but she was always late due to being stopped when recognized. He didn't mind since he was piled with so much work that he hardly noticed when she would get there.

He was eighteen and already the young CEO of his father's US chain of Wayne Enterprises. Many cursed at him for rising to the top just because 'daddy' owned the building, but that wasn't the case, his relationship to the 'big boss' had nothing to do with how he was promoted quickly. He worked his ass off and didn't take hour long breaks right next to the water cooler just to complain about work. He worked so hard to get to the top that slowly but surely, he forgot he had a girlfriend and a life outside of his top building view office.

He was so stressed out that he didn't hear when his girlfriend entered his office. He was so stressed out and it wasn't only the work stress that got to him, it was the fact that his father was always on his case about said girlfriend. He didn't know what the hell his problem was or why he insisted so much that he have a different woman always on his arm. He wasn't like that and he didn't want to be, he's been with the same girl for three years now and he liked it that way.

"Richard?" He heard her sweet voice as he swiftly turned to look at her. Kory slightly jumped and took a step back; his blue eyes were like ice, cold, detached, and annoyed. When she noticed that he wasn't going to say anything, she smiled and continued, "I brought you, your lunch" She said as she forgot about his stare and walked closer.

He softened up a bit at that as he greeted her with a quick kiss and took the plastic bag containing her homemade meal for him. He set it on his office desk and then went and sat down on his black leather couch he had right next to the wall as he sighed and started to rub his temples. Kory sat next to him as she instructed him to turn a little so she could reach his back. She was massaging his back lovingly when she decided she wanted to tell him now. She was honestly afraid of his reaction but she figured, she was seventeen, she was basically an adult and she should handle this in a mature fashion.

At first when she would get the morning sickness, she thought she just caught on to some horrible stomach flu going around but then it happened frequently and knew it was something more than that. She wanted to rule out the possible fact of pregnancy but knew she shouldn't because they did in fact have sex and it wasn't that long after that she started to get the symptoms. She kept the same diet so it stuck her as odd that suddenly her favorite foods and regular diet would cause her to become sick now. So she did the only thing she could and went to the doctors. It was there that she was congratulated and blessed with the news that she was indeed going to have a baby and not just anybody's - but Richard's baby.

She knew for about two weeks but kept contemplating on how exactly she was going to tell him so finally she decided she would do it today because today was just as good as any other day. She was so happy and giddy that her regular greetings to her fans were filled with twice more enthusiasm and love and her fans could tell by the way she was glowing.

"Richard?" She softly said as she stopped massaging his back as he turned to face her.

He caressed her cheek, "What is it?"

"I have good news to tell you" She beamed as he titled his head. He was about to tell her to go on when his cell phone went off. Grunting he took it out of his pocket and answered it, "What" He demanded more than asking.

He got up and started to pace around the room as he heard the person on the other line. Kory could feel the shift of emotions in the room that it made her suddenly feel depressed. She patiently waited as he talked on the phone. She kept open and optimistic; she just hoped that he would be ecstatic too.

Richard sighed and threw his phone right next to her on the couch which startled her. He didn't say anything so she spoke up, "Richard?"

"What" He answered coldly.

"I have something to tell you" She softly began.

He grunted, "Can't it wait? Can't you see how busy I am? I don't have time, Kory!" He lashed out on her. Richard turned to look at her; he could see her smile fading away and her eyes brimming with tears.

Kory got up and shakily asked him, "W-Who are you? I don't know you anymore!" With that she took off the emerald and sapphire encrusted promise ring he gave her and threw it at his head as she ran off.

Choking back her tears, she packed up and was never heard of again.

Seven years passed since then.

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"Mommy pleeeeease? Can I pretty please go?" A young girl begged as her mother went over some fabric patterns. "Oh I don't know, sweetie. A camp in America and you'll be gone for four weeks?" Her mother asked.

"Mommy please! I'm seven years old now! I'm a big girl and I've never been to America, we've traveled all over the world but never to the United States! I promise I won't talk to strangers and I'll be good! I promise! Mommy, pretty please with whipped cream and zorkaberries on top?" She begged as she clasped her hands together, shutting her eyes and praying her mom would let her.

"Koriand'r, why don't you let her go? You have a big wedding consultation to attend to and need to fly out to meet them, no?" A deep voice reasoned with her as Kory turned around as her uncle walked in and hugged her daughter. "K'Norfka Galfore, will you take me to camp while mommy is away?" She asked with big enthusiastic green eyes. "It would be my honor my little Bumgorf" Galfore replied as they both stared at Kory with big pleading eyes.

Kory signed and gave in, "Alright you can go Mar'i"

Mar'i jumped down from Galfore's embrace and hugged her mother. "Thank you! Thank you!" She squealed as Kory smiled caressing her dark hair. How it reminded her so much of him, if only he could see just how much Mar'i acts like him, has the same determination and drive. Mar'i was the last gift that he gave her and the only gift that mattered to her in the world.

There was a reason why she tried never to consult with people in the US; she feared that where ever she would go, somehow she would bump into him and she didn't know if she could handle that. She left with good news and a broken heart, there was hardly any communication left in their relationship due to him being stressed out all the time because of work and his father Bruce Wayne. Kory fought and tried to look at things in a good light, she knew that it had nothing to do with her or at least Richard didn't show that it was; she loved him and that was the only excuse she needed in order to stay and hold on dearly to their crumbling relationship.

"Mommy?" Mar'i called as she snapped Kory out of her thoughts.

Kory looked down to her daughter, "Hm?"

"I'm going to my room to pack up!" She quickly kissed her mother's cheek and ran off.

Once Kory and Galfore were alone, Kory let out a deep breath, she was very reluctant to see her daughter go especially without her being there to protect her but she knew that it would help Mar'i to meet more kids from different places and not just Tamaran and to learn more about the States and be just as fascinated as she was when she was Mar'i's age.

"Why do you look so sad my Bumgorf?" Galfore asked.

"I do not know, I don't mind her going to the camp, I'm not sad to see her go mostly, I want Mar'i to have as many glorious memories as she can have as a child and to have fun and learn new things, but maybe it is I who am running away. I haven't seen him in over seven years and he has no idea that he has a daughter. What if he has children of his own? What if he got married by now? What if he threw away the promise ring he gave to me or even worse, gave it to some new woman in his life?" Her eyes were stinging with the urge to cry but she already told herself countless of times, she would not cry for him anymore.

Galfore caressed her cheek and offered her a kind smile, "My little Bumgorf, do not worry. If it were true love, then there would be no other woman in his life. I've always told you to follow your heart, you are strong as a warrior and no matter what choices you make in life, know that I will always love you and stand right next to you"

Kory hugged her uncle and thanked him for his advice. She excused herself as she went to make a couple of phone calls and arrange her ticket to Europe for her consultation.

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"Promise me you'll be safe and you have mine and Galfore's number in case there's an emergency. I want to hear about all your adventures so promise me you'll call or send me a letter and remember to take picture! If they have a computer then you know what to do" Kory bend down to Mar'i's level as she couldn't help but act like a worried mother as she told Mar'i to contact her or Galfore but more importantly, have fun and to be safe. Mar'i could see the panic rising as she giggled and caressed her mother's cheek, "Mommy don't worry. I will be fine and I know what to do"

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry, it's just that I'm going to miss you so much" Kory gave her daughter a tight hug as she didn't want to let go but knew she had to.

"Mom, can't breathe" Mar'i struggled as Kory let go apologizing.

"Well my flight leaves soon so Galfore will go with you to Jump City where the camp will be, he'll stay for a few days and then head back to Tamaran but remember he's only a flight away so if you need anything call him first, okay?" Kory said as she stood up and smoothed out her pencil skirt.

"Don't worry mom, I know" Mar'i reassured her again as they said their final goodbye. They drove Kory to the airport where they waited with her for half an hour and then she had to board the plane but before she could, Mar'i ran up to her and hugged her one last time, "Mommy, I love you" She whispered as Kory fought back the tears, "And I love you"

Galfore and Mar'i waved goodbye as they watched her leave.

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Several hours passed after Kory left for Europe, Mar'i and Galfore returned once again to the airport to board their own plane. Mar'i was excited and nervous at the same time, excited because she gets to go to a new place, she's never been to the US before so she was ready to learn about their ways, sight see, and meet new people. She was nervous because she didn't know what to expect, she was going to be all alone without her family in a new and mysterious place. She was glad that they decided to get there before the camp would open up for summer so she had a few days to go sight see with Galfore before he would drop her off. She held onto her K'Norfka Galfore's hand all through the plane ride as he smiled and comforted her.

They heard the announcement welcoming them to Jump City as Mar'i looked out the window. Many buildings and skyscrapers and cars, and oh the patches of trees and parks here and there, Jump City was very different to Tamaran where there was mostly vegetation, jungles, trees, and the inner cities and outer villages were the only places to have buildings and cars.

"We are here my little Bumgorf" Galfore held her hand as they got their things once the plane landed.

Mar'i took out her camera as she snapped a shot of the airport. She's been all over the world due to her mom's job as a fashion designer so it always fascinated her when they would arrive at an airport because each one was different than the last.

"Camp, here I come" She shut her eyes and whispered to herself as she arrived in Jump City.

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Done! To be continued.

What has a Mr. Dick Grayson been up to in seven years?

This story will contain elements from the movie but won't be quite the same~ ;D

Couple of notes:

Jump City will be based in San Francisco like in the comics where the Titans Tower was located in San Fran.

Gotham has always been a nickname for New York so Gotham City will be in NY.

Tamaran is a tropical place or well once was, before it was attacked, so in this story it is still tropical and lies somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean.

I only listed Dick and Kory but there will be other couples as well~

I don't know how long it'll be so we'll see! :D

Remember to R&R, Alert, etc. Plz & Thankies! :]

I don't own Starfire 'Koriand'r/Kory Anders' nor Robin/Nightwing 'Dick Grayson' and the rest of Teen Titans – DC Comics.

Nor the song 'L.O.V.E' by Nat King Cole


	2. Welcome to Jump City

AN: To my 'Anonymous' reviewer – I'm sorry that it's taken me a while to update! I've been away and had no computer in order to type.

To any readers, reading this and also my other story, 'Maybe, I Love You' – I'm ending that series with ten chapters so two more to go! Should be done by the end of this month hopefully!

So that's all I really have to say for now; Happy reading!

Welcome to Jump City

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_"W-Who are you? I don't know you anymore!"_ He remembered her voice, crisp and clear; as if it were only yesterday she yelled at him and threw away their promise ring and ran away. He blamed himself countless of times and if he could, he would take it all back in a heartbeat. She was the one for him and he knew it. He was so in love with her but he screwed up big time. He remembered being breathless and angry at himself, he remembered his clothes being disheveled and his hair wild with the many times he ran his fingers through them. He remembered throwing the stacks of papers off his desk, pounding his fists onto the hard wood surface, he remembered sitting on his black couch and rubbing his temples. He remembered crying hard for a great lost. God, was he such an idiot. He was stupid for listening to his father and trying to please him; he was foolish to let the only woman he ever loved get away.

Seven years was a long time.

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Richard kept replaying that one event, that one event that changed his life, over and over in his head for seven years but he knew he had to move on. He blew his chance and there was nothing he could do about it but continue on. Every now and then he would wonder what she wanted to tell him, what she never got to tell him, but he was sure she would tell him someday, if he ever saw her again.

He knew she was doing good, last he heard was that she quit modeling which was quite a shock to him, he knew she wanted to be more but so soon in her career? He was happy for her; she was making a name for herself in the fashion industry. He had an idea where she lived and he had every opportunity to go and win her heart back but did he? No, he didn't know if he could.

Even if his workload was less than before, he still had many things to manage, many responsibilities to take on. One of them being his ten year old brother that his father just dumped on him seven years ago. Bruce was too busy and important to be tied and slowed down by a kid so in his reasonable logic, he decided that since Richard was 'single' and had nothing better to do with his spare time then why not raise a kid on his own, it was his little brother after all.

His brother was very small back then and he had no clue on how to raise a child, he was hopeless but he had a smiling angel always helping him out. His beautiful girlfriend helped to teach him how to take care of him, what to feed him, what his expressions meant. She was perfect and if he closed his eyes, he could imagine her giggling and patting his hand away to let her do it instead. He could feel the brush of her soft lips on his cheek as she complimented him and told him he was a fast learner. How he missed her.

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"Wipe that stupid smile off your face, Grayson" A boy said as he rolled his eyes and crossed his arms as he sat on the black couch. Richard snapped out of it as he looked at the boy, "Aren't you a little early, Damian?" He asked as he went and took a seat in his black leather chair behind the desk.

"Father says it's better to be a little early than a little late" Damian replied as he got up and threw an envelope on his desk. "Here, your stupid girlfriend asked me to give that to you like I were some damn messenger boy" He huffed as he walked towards the door, "I'll be waiting outside with my bags ready so then you can ship me off to hell" He said and slammed the door shut.

Damian left before Richard could reason with him again. He raised Damian since he was about four years old and as he got older, he became more of a pain to handle, he didn't make parenting any easier for him and Damian could be difficult at times but he was just a kid, a kid who was going through a lot. Richard had a lot of patience and compassion for the kid and even if they didn't get to spend much time together due to his work schedule but hey, he was trying as best as he could.

He wanted Damian to enjoy his summer so he thought it would be best to sign him up for summer camp instead of being driven by Alfred every day to his office just so he could create havoc all through the building. He learned his lesson after bringing Damian to the office last summer and having him crash all the computers and sabotaged the elevators and coffee makers. It was an expensive lesson that he learned for sure. Richard sighed as he opened up the envelope, he knew that Damian didn't like his girlfriend Barbara but he was trying, he was trying to give Damian a mother figure, he was trying to give Damian a family but it was hard. Opening the letter he read it and put it down. Great, just what he needed, more stress.

He was happy sure, just not so happy about seeing the bill. He proposed to Babs in secret, not wanting to tell everyone just yet, and for a couple of months they've been planning the wedding and they weren't even half way but everything did add up. Money was no issue but he didn't expect Babs to want to go all out. Richard was much more reserved and their business was their own alone but Babs wanted a news reporter, a full two page spread in a magazine about their wedding, she wanted it all.

He wanted to make her happy and have everything go perfectly but he didn't want to think about it right at that moment so he got up and exited his office. He told his secretary that he was leaving for the day and walked off to find Damian. He found Damian sitting next to a boy he came to know as Colin, the son of Mr. Wilkes – a man in his mid thirties with a hearty laugh and good nature as well as a great asset to Richard's team.

"Come on Damian, we're going to be late" Richard spoke up as Mr. Wilkes gulped and stood up. "G'afternoon Mr. Grayson! I apologize for bringing my son in" He was about to start rambling when Richard chuckled and shook his head, "Not to worry, I understand"

Damian said his goodbye and walked with Richard to the elevator. "So how long am I going to stay at that communist camp?" Damian grumbled as he crossed his arms.

Richard sighed, "Damian, I'm not doing this to punish you. I want you to actually enjoy your summer, is that so criminal? It's only for four weeks so while you're at camp, I have a lot of work to do, lots of papers to review, and meetings to attend with old and crusty seniors"

Damian slightly chuckled at the last bit but he was still pretty pissed off about the whole thing. If it were up to him, he would just stay home all summer and invite his friend Colin over instead of terrorize the office. He would at least give his brother that much.

As they descended down the building he thought about it. If his brother was going to waste his summer working in the office then the chances of him spending time with that witch would be very slim and boy did he hate Babs. She wasn't as sugar coated sweet as she made herself appear, she was spoiled and selfish, and if he knew any better – she was planning on shipping him off to military school the first chance she got. Living with his own mom - Talia was sounding better and better. He didn't like either option.

He was starting to wonder where that other tall red head ran off to. The one that would sing him to sleep, would feed him balanced meals, would dress him, and just emitted love and safety. He liked her a lot and he was genuinely sad to no longer see her come by. He remembered seeing the love in his brother's eyes for the woman just as he remembered the sadness in his eyes when she left.

He looked up to his brother, studied his calm stoic face, but his blue eyes were darker and didn't express the same feelings like back then. He wondered what happened, what changed, and where did it go.

"Hey, If I don't like camp, can I come back home?" Damian asked.

Richard raised an eyebrow, did he really think he was that mean? "Of course you can come back, I just want you to try it out" Richard smiled at him as he ruffled his hair. Damian rolled his eyes, shrugging his shoulders, "Idiot" he whispered.

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It was a long day for Richard and Damian or at least it felt that way. They both felt jet lagged as the only sleep they managed to get was in the private jet. Gotham wasn't too far from Jump but it was still a long flight. They were welcomed to the city and had everything taken care by their San Francisco division of Wayne Enterprises. Richard grabbed a car and drove off with Damian, it was the first day of camp, many school buses, parents, kids riding bikes, all arriving. Traffic wasn't so bad but Richard was in a hurry, he had a meeting to attend and he didn't feel like hearing a lecture from Bruce. As he rolled up, he couldn't hear the gasps or see the people gawking at the car. "Well we're here, so I'll see you in a couple of weeks. If you don't like camp then call me and let Lucius know at the office, you know dad has a place here and Mr. Fox will take care of anything" Richard said as he opened the trunk.

Damian nodded, "Yeah, yeah, I know what to do. See ya" He got out as he shut the Rolls Royce Ghost's car door shut and got his things from the trunk. He knocked on the trunk twice signaling Richard that he could drive off. Richard opened his window and waved as he drove off.

Damian rolled his eyes and went to go find whoever was in charge. As Richard drove off, he noticed a classic Bentley S Type drive up to the camp. He marveled at how nice of a car it was and remembered then that he's seen a car just like that one before. He remembered Kory telling him that her uncle Galfore loved collecting cars and showed him a couple of pictures of some he owned.

Looking at his watch again, he hurried to the office without a second glance.

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Inside the Bentley, Galfore came to a stop and sighed as he looked at Mar'i. He didn't want to leave her all alone in a place she knew nothing of but he was proud of her for being fearless. "Well this is it my little Bumgorf. I will leave you here and be off to Tamaran, if you do not like it then call me first so I can arrange everything for you to come back" Galfore leaned over and kissed her cheek, "May X'hal protect you" He patted her head as she smiled.

Mar'i got out of the car and took her things out of the trunk. She watched as her uncle drove off but he didn't get far as he stopped and ran out to hug her one last time. "Remember, you are an And'r, you are not the rutha. Be strong and brave and I will be here to pick you up with your mother"

Mar'i nodded as she assured her uncle that she was capable of taking care of herself and would never dishonor their And'r name. Once Galfore was completely gone, Mar'i went to go find out where she needed to be. She found the girl's instructor as she greeted and welcomed Mar'i telling her she would share her cabin with two other girls. She nodded understanding as she took her things and went to the cabin. Inside she found the other girls unpacking and decorating their sides.

One girl ran up and greeted her, "Hi! I'm Iris West! Nice to meet you!" She had red hair and green enthusiastic eyes, "And the girl over there is Lian Harper, our dads know each other" Iris introduced the girl with black hair and green eyes. She tried not to wince at the part about their dads knowing each other, she didn't know what that felt like. "So did your dad drop you off?" Lian asked as she secured her cut out boy band magazine posters with thumbtacks to the wall.

Mar'i shook her head, "No my uncle dropped me off. My dad had… a meeting to go to" She lied.

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Damian barged into his cabin that they told him he would be sharing with two other boys. He rolled his eyes not liking that at all. "Okay listen up losers, don't touch my things and we won't have a problem" He warned as he looked at the two boys. He was surprised to see one of them being Colin.

"Damian, you signed up for camp?" Colin beamed as he fist bumped his friend welcoming him. "And this is?" Damian asked pointing to the other boy. "Hey, I'm Jai West" The boy with black hair and brown eyes greeted as he nodded acknowledging Damian and then continued to unpack his clothes.

"So did your brother drop you off?" Colin asked as he plopped down onto his bed.

Damian leaned against the wall, "Yeah. He said I could leave anytime if I wanted to but if I can get away from him acting stupidly in love with his girlfriend then by all means I'll stay but he has work to do so I doubt that would happen. Seeing this dump makes me miss… Alfred" He grumbled as he crossed his arms.

Colin sat up and nodded, he knew just by briefly talking to him that he didn't like his brother's girlfriend too much. He never asked questions not wanting to tread on dangerous waters knowing that Damian talking about his older brother's girlfriend and his own mom were two subjects that he naturally had to bring up on his own.

"So… is your dad still out of the country?" Colin tried asking just to change the subject.

Damian darkly chuckled at that, "When isn't he?" He left it at that as the boys fell into silence. Jai sensed the uncomfortable vibe in the air so he tried to cheer them both, "Uhh… how about we go get something to eat? I'm starved" He suggested as Colin nodded while Damian silently followed.

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Inside the little cafeteria, Colin offered to find them a table since he wasn't hungry. Damian nodded as he followed Jai to wait in line. "Wait until you try the food! It's not so bad" Jai smiled as he picked up a tray and plate as he started to fill it up with just about everything.

Damian cringed seeing Jai's strange combinations of foods. He lost his small appetite and settled for a red apple and gatorade. He tried to zone out all of Jai's pointless ramblingas he continued to follow not wanting to ditch him so soon. He wasn't paying attention when he bumped into a girl, dropping his red apple in the process. "Oh X'hal! I'm so sorry!" She apologized as she jumped up first and helped him up.

X'hal. Where has he heard that before? It seemed so familiar.

He stared at her, stared at her black hair and green eyes, stared at her hand and the strong grip she had. There was something oddly familiar about her but he didn't know what so he just continued to stare until he spoke up. "What's your name?"

She was taken aback by his random question as she raised an eyebrow in confusion. "My name is Mar'i Grayson"

_Grayson. _

_Heh._

He almost laughed at the name. She titled her head waiting for him to say something as his expression changed. Damian rolled his eyes, "Next time watch where you're going. You made me drop my apple, stupid"

Mar'i eyes widened in surprise, she thought that he was going to initiate an apologetic respond; she thought he was going to ask if she was even okay, she thought he was going to be _nice. _She didn't expect to meet someone so rude.

Damian walked off before she could say anything to him. "Are you okay Mar'i? Don't worry about Damian, he can be a real jerk sometimes" Iris said as the girls walked to their table that Lian was saving.

"You know him Iris?" Mar'i asked as Iris nodded, "My dad and his older brother are best friends. They go way back my dad says and I hang out a lot with my dad so sometimes I go to the Wayne manor when he feels like visiting. I don't really talk to Damian since he's mean but I do hang out with Cassie. She's older but she's really nice" Iris explained as they sat down with Lian.

Mar'i was glad that she put her plate of food onto Iris's tray instead of getting one for herself or else she would have had been covered in food. She turned to her right as she heard the boys laughing; she stared at Damian and narrowed her eyes. She has never met anyone as rude as him before.

Colin told a joke that had Jai in stitches as Damian ignored them as he glanced over to Mar'i's table. She was strong and he admired that but there was something else about her and he didn't know what it was but it made him feel as if something about her was familiar.

He ignored it as he kept thinking about her strength and wondering just how much she would tolerate. A smirk spread across his lips as he stared at her. He just found his target. Maybe camp wasn't going to be so bad after all.

"I hope you're ready, Mar'i Grayson" Damian whispered as he smirked and took a bite out of his red apple.

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Done! To be continued.

Why is Damian targeting Mar'i when he's only just met her?

Damian is also older than Mar'i so would he really pick on a little girl?

I will be gone for two weeks so I don't know if I'll have much internet but I will try to update soon! ;D

Couple of notes:

Jai and Iris West – They are Kid Flash/Flash aka Wally's kids with Linda Park. They are both speedsters and fraternal twins.

Lian Harper – She is the daughter of Speedy/Red Arrow aka Roy and Cheshire aka Jade Nguyen.

Colin Wilkes – He is an orphan who Damian befriends and later becomes Abuse due to Scarecrow kidnapping him.

Lucius Fox - He is Bruce's business manager and CEO of Wayne Enterprises. For this story he manages the Bay Area's division.

Galfore uses Tamaranian spelling a lot so he will say things like And'r instead of Anders.

Mar'i's last name is Grayson instead of Anders due to her mom.

Remember to R&R, Alert, etc. Plz & Thankies! :]


	3. Love Never Dies

AN: I'm back from my mini vacation so now I can get down to typing again since I just happened to get a summer cold. Ugh. Damn you weak immune system! Anyways pushing my runny nose issue aside, let's gets started! Happy reading!

Love Never Dies

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_They sat together on a picnic blanket at the park; the soft warm breeze swayed her long flowing skirt, the spaghetti straps of her green tank top hanging for dear life as her body tingled as he brushed his fingers on her shoulders and kissed her tenderly. She blushed and slowly spoke, "Richard, we're in public! What if someone sees us?"_

_She heard him chuckle, "So? Let the world know I have the most incredible girlfriend!" He took her hand in his and squeezed it, "I feel like the luckiest guy alive" _

_Richard looked at her, the gleam in his eyes showed nothing but warmth and love, adoration and honesty; She blushed even more, she's never experienced such a love but she would never trade it for the world. She caressed his cheek and smiled, "I love you" She whispered. _

"I love you, Kory" Richard mumbled.

"You know if you ever slip up like that around Ms. Gordon, I don't think she would take it well" Lucius said as he knocked on the opened door and showed himself in.

Once hearing his voice, Richard jumped up and woke up completely. He pressed his index finger to his lips and wondered why he said it out loud. He constantly dreamt of her but he would _never _say those three sacred words out loud. He was just glad it was Mr. Fox who heard it rather than Babs.

"I'm not one to intrude in relationships but harboring feelings for your ex doesn't seem healthy Mr. Grayson" Lucius said as he opened the curtains of the penthouse window.

Richard sat up on the bed turning his torso so he could get off. Before standing he thought about what Lucius said and he knew he was right but he just couldn't stop thinking about her. "I loved her and I still do, of course my father wouldn't know what that feels like, but for me, that love will never leave me, it will never die but that doesn't mean it will affect the way I feel about Babs. I screwed up my first relationship and I'm not about to the second one" Richard got up and headed to the bathroom.

Lucius nodded and continued to look out the window towards Jump City's cityscape. "Yes, your father is a rather… complicated man. Everything we speak of is confidential of course, Mr. Grayson, just be careful. The jet will be here within an hour to pick you up, Richard" He turned around and showed himself out as Richard shut the bathroom's door.

He took in what Lucius said, of course it struck him as odd to be receiving advice from him, but it was nice and as much as he wanted to promise he would be careful, there was no guarantee. He would screw up another relationship eventually.

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"So the bodice will be covered in apple blossoms and wrapped nicely with a white satin ribbon around the waist and finished with a elegant backbow. The skirt will have apple blossoms and rhinestones scattered around and of course the white top hat veil is an optional substitute to the more traditional wedding tiara most brides go for" Kory explained as she went over the sketch designs for the wedding dress her client ordered.

She smiled and explained as she pointed at the plans and designs with a pen. She mentally sighed, she loved her job, she was where she wanted to be in her career, but sometimes it was sad. She mostly did wedding consultations and they were fun and she loved it when they would go to her as a professional designer when there are plenty of much more experienced people in the field. She was proud of herself and her talent but that didn't mean that there weren't days when she felt no good and there were certainly days like these where seeing a giddy happily in love bride was just too much.

She would watch these brides, watched them trust her with their ideal perfect wedding day image, watched them kiss and cherish their soon to be husbands, watched them be happy. She wasn't envious; she just knew she could never have that. She would always be that bridesmaid that would never get to walk down the alter herself. She was just the wedding planner, the fashion designer, the metaphorical bridesmaid.

"I definitely love the dress design, it is absolutely gorgeous! You certainly have the Midas touch Ms. Anders! I think I will go for my top hat veil choice, a wedding tiara is just overly done my dear. Before I go, I do have a question for you" the client said in a posh voice.

Kory wanted to roll her eyes, she guessed people would only ever really know her for being a former teen model. She smiled and nodded signaling for the woman to continue.

"Have you ever been married? I do remember reading a magazine article of you dating a billionaire's son in the States" She asked as Kory froze. She _tried _to forget about him even with Mar'i being a constant reminder of how much she resembles him. She was still foolishly madly in love with him.

Kory gulped and tried to be curt and polite about what the woman asked as she replied, "Married, no, never. When I was very young, I was close to having a shotgun wedding" She said and left it at that. Kory got up pretending she had to attend another consultation with a client before the posh woman could ask any more. She felt uncomfortable about talking about her personal life especially with a client, it was unprofessional.

They shook hands and Kory had the rest of the day to her. She was currently in England doing her rounds of wedding clients and then she would be off to Italy, France, and then finally Spain. She sighed as she sat in the garden foyer of the location and closed her eyes thinking about him.

"Richard…" She whispered.

_They chased each other around the mansion's garden. They met two weeks ago at the soiree his father held and since then he was captivated by her, by her hair, by her gorgeous green eyes, by her red lips, by everything. She visited him every day since they met that night and every day was filled with a new experience, new feelings, but without a doubt – love._

"_I was made for loving you baby, you were made for loving me" He sang as she giggled, "You crazy fool, I won't give into you" She winked and stuck her tongue out at him. _

_He chuckled and tried to think of another verse of the song, "We should be lovers!" _

"_We can't do that!" She countered as he managed to grab a hold of her wrist and pin her to a large ivory marble pillar. He knew there was truth in the words she spoke due to his father. His father would see to the termination of their budding romance, he could be a powerful influential man, but to be disowned, to be banished, to be the bad son –it would be worth it for her. _

"_I love you" He whispered and looked into her eyes as she gasped._

_She was immediately silenced by a kiss; her moans were more than enough of an answer. It was rushed, it was moving so fast, it was a Capulet-Montague disaster waiting to happen, but it felt so right, it felt natural, it felt like breathing. She could feel it in her heart that it wasn't fake or deceitful but that he meant every word. _

_And she was never wrong. Their relationship grew more serious, and even sometimes a little too wild, but above all, they were happy and in love. _

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"_Say Zorkaberry cheese pie!" Wally shouted smiling as Kory said it while Linda and Richard gave him a weird look."Dude, that sounds gross" Richard said as his face contorted into a grossed out expression. "Hey don't knock it,'til ya try it!" Wally defended his case as he shushed them and made Richard and Kory get closer for the picture._

_They were out in Italy for the weekend just goofing off and having a good time before heading back home to Gotham. It was there that things got a little too crazy and in the spur of the moment Richard proposed taking Kory by the hand and running off to a chapel but of course they never went along with their shotgun wedding, instead Richard promised that someday he would ask the right way and that they would get married._

Richard tapped his spoon against the black granite island table; he ignored his soggy cereal and just sat there on the metal stool. He was back home again in Gotham and everything was great minus his dreams. He dreamt more of her lately than what credit card nightmare Babs was running up.

Richard deemed himself temporarily crazy thinking that his brain was just fried from all the wedding planning and the fact that he was getting married. He thought he was stressed out and perhaps missing an old friend so he decided to call up his best friend Wally and make plans to go to a bar or something.

"Honey, I'm back!" Babs announced as she walked into the kitchen with ten bags strapped around each arm. Richard didn't say anything as he looked at her and nodded just to acknowledge her presence there.

She kissed him taking him by surprise and for the first time it felt different.

Not like before where it was just nice or pleasant

For the first time, he cringed.

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Done! To be continued.

Short chapter is short, I know.

Next up, camp and what Damian has in store for Mar'i!

What is Damian brewing up in that little evil head of his?

And yes, the parts of the song in the flashback are snippets of the lyrics from Moulin Rouge's - Elephant Love Medley.

Remember to R&R, Alert, etc. Plz & Thankies! :]


	4. Mud Creatures and Soggy Cereal

AN: I'm sorry you guys had to wait so long for this chapter! Long story short: I broke my glasses, got them fixed, haven't been on the computer as much, been gone out of state, there was a huge storm so my internet went out for a few days, and had a Cold. So all in all, I've been busy and away from a computer but now I'm back and able to type! It's all good~ Yay!

Mud Creatures and Soggy Cereal

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"_Richard, you know, your cereal is getting soggy" Her soft playful voice said as she caressed Richard's cheek. He chuckled and placed his hand on top of hers that was caressing him, taking her fingers, he raised them to his lips and kissed them. "I like soggy cereal, makes it easier to just drink" Richard teased back as he laid there on his bed smiling. He felt her shift to get up, wanting her close to him for a bit longer, he spoke up, "Don't go" He mumbled. _

_Feeling her shift again on the bed, she giggled and whispered, "Never. I love you, Richard" _

Silence fell upon him as he didn't feel her anymore, didn't hear her voice, and couldn't smell her favorite perfume anymore. "I love you, Ko-"He began when he heard a voice.

"Dick, wake up, we're going to be late for our venue location appointments! We're scouting today remember!" He heard Babs hastily say as she pulled the sheets off him and practically rolled and threw him off the bed.

Groaning, Richard fully awoke and looked around him. The room was different, the mood was different, and the woman was different. He never felt so cold and alone before.

Things were definitely different with Babs. She wasn't as patient or very fond of the little things like Kory was. She didn't wake up right next to him in the mornings and when she did it was because she was late for something and would immediately jump out and get ready. She didn't prepare homemade breakfast and bring it to their bedroom, wouldn't even fetch him a bowl of cereal if it meant the damage to one perfectly manicured nail. She didn't play around in the mornings or any given time of the day; it always had to be when she was in the mood or on her terms. Babs wasn't Kory and that depressed Richard more and more as the days went by. He thought it was ridiculous; his behavior, his sudden interest in her again after seven years, his cold feet. Maybe the wedding was just getting to him.

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"Whoa, you have it bad" Wally said as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. Richard was preparing dinner since Babs sure as hell didn't cook and he hated having to rely on other people to do simple stuff for him all the time. He sighed and grabbed a cutting board, "I don't know what the hell is wrong with me, Wally. I-I-I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't even talk around Babs! I'm afraid of slipping and saying Kory's name. She knows I dated a model in the past but that's as far as she knows" Richard took a knife and began mincing onions.

"Hey well that's a start. Kory isn't a typical name so as far as Babs knows, she was probably some international model and she's long gone from anywhere near here. You know, too busy with her career and all that. Which isn't entirely a lie since you know that Kory moved back to Tamaran and she's no longer a model" Wally added.

"I don't know if she moved back to Tamaran, it's just a hunch I had. I know her; she wouldn't have ran off to some other country or state without her uncle's consent. If you remember him, the man was a giant" Richard coughed as the onions were getting to him. Another reason why he guessed that she moved back to Tamaran was due to the way she left him. Kory was emotional, of course all women generally are but Kory gave her heart and soul to everything she does. He hurt her on an emotional level where it gave her the urge to just pack up and leave. He didn't chase after her, he didn't beg her to come back, he gave her space, he just wanted her to be happy.

"Why don't you try calling her? Even just drop by Tamaran? Tell Babs you're being sent to do some checking up on one of your dad's overseas buildings. What if you slip up sooner than later? Especially if you have sex with her! That's not cool, bro" Wally pointed out as he opened the fridge to rummage for food.

At the mention of sleeping with Babs, Richard got distracted and cut his finger. Wincing, he quickly turned on the sink and cleaned off the wound with water. Wally had a point, if he slept with Babs, which he doubt would be anytime soon since she was too busy planning the wedding to even spend a single moment with him; it would be the worst possible thing, women don't like hearing you call them by someone else's name let alone during a time like that.

He would make things worse, feel even worse, and would have to answer a million questions to get her off his back. On that front, Wally had a point but to go to Tamaran? What business would he have there? Just drop by, tell her that he was curious as to what she's been up to for the past seven years and then what? Leave her again for another seven? What if she found someone else, someone that was better for her, someone that's she's married off to or even has a family with? If he lied and went to Tamaran, found her, would he even get a chance to talk to her or would her uncle choke him to death before he could ever get a chance to?

There were multiple outcomes to one simple suggestion and he didn't like the possible solutions to either of them. One could end in a happy ending, the other in more pain, and the other in depression, or the other one could end in death.

Pressing his finger with a napkin to stop the bleeding, Richard went back to chopping vegetables. Sighing, he answered, "I miss her Wally. I miss her a lot but she's a famous designer now. She might not even be there and even if she was, I don't know what would happen. I'm not risking hurting her again or this marriage. Even if I am miserable for the rest of my life, at least I know she's happy. That's all I want for her. I want Kory to find a good man, have kids, and be loved unconditionally and happily for the rest of her life"

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"Ms. Anders, I can't thank you enough for helping out mia famiglia! Oh mia mamma is going to look so, so, so bellissima, so beautiful in her wedding dress! We couldn't have done it without you!" Kory's Italian client kissed her cheeks and tightly squeezed her hands. She giggled, "It will be the most glorious wedding I can assure you. You're very welcome!" She nodded and hugged her client.

If there was one thing she loved about her job, it was the full feeling of bringing someone's vision come to life. She loved being the one who made something happen for a family or bride. Her client for the week was a very special family. A young man wrote her a letter asking her if she could design a dress for her mother who would be getting married for the very first time. Since they lived in a small farming town, it was impossible to raise enough money for his mother to have her dream wedding. Touched by the story, Kory offered to make them a dress free of charge. They were so thankful, that they invited her to a family party and even to the wedding itself. Kory being unable to refuse such kind people, had to reschedule the rest of her plans for the following week.

Thankfully she already had the dress done, it was one of her newer designs that wasn't out yet to the public. She attended the wedding which was held in the same week of her consultation. It was rare for her to get invited to the wedding of the bride she helped out but she wasn't complaining; she loved the small rare opportunities she would get.

Back in the hotel room, Kory began packing for France seeing that her time was running really short. She didn't want to extend her time in Europe since she wanted to be home by the time that Mar'i would get back from camp. Sitting on the edge of her bed, she sighed and thought of her daughter. It had been a couple of weeks since camp started and she still hadn't heard from her at all. As much as she hated to overreact and worry so much, she just couldn't help it. That was her baby after all, her baby that she loved very much.

Staring up at the ceiling of her gorgeous cream colored walls, she closed her eyes to relax, sitting there she wondered what everyone was up to. Surely her K'Norfka Galfore was up to no good in the kitchen, the man loved to cook but he was no good at it. Kory never had the heart to tell him anything; she just loved seeing him happy. Just when she began thinking of Mar'i, her phone started ringing.

Opening her eyes, Kory dug into the pocket of her pencil skirt and retrieved her phone. Sliding it open, she answered, "Hello?"

"Mom!" The voice on the other side happily said.

Kory's face immediately lit up. "Mar'i! Oh honey, I miss you so much! Are you hurt? Are you taking your vitamins? Is there enough mustard? I can send you bottles if you'd like"

"Mom," Mar'i whined, "Stop, you're embarrassing me!" Mar'i playfully rolled her eyes and answered her mother's questions. "I miss you too. No, I'm not hurt, yes I'm taking them, and yes there's plenty of mustard" If there was one thing that Mar'i and Kory agreed the most on – it would be their love for mustard. There was no such thing as too much, only too little.

Spending some time on the phone, Mar'i told her about camp and some of the activities she's done. Mar'i didn't bother complaining about the little things like the lack of hot water in the morning or the fact that they barely had time to nap in the afternoon or more importantly the demon known as Damian.

Hanging up after an hour, Kory sent Mar'i off to bed after hearing her yawn a couple of times. Assuring her that she would be back in Tamaran in a couple of weeks before camp ended, she said her goodbyes and I love yous and hanged up. Kory went to bed that night more relieved than the previous weeks. Knowing that her daughter was safe and having fun made her feel proud and eased her worried mind from negative thoughts.

Lying in bed, Kory closed her eyes and went to bed smiling.

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It was the middle of the afternoon and scorching hot. California was known for having humid heat rather than dry heat and that difference made it unbearable. Seeing as it was camp and they - the older teenage staff forced the 'big' kids outside to do activities; the girls found themselves outside sitting down in a patch of green grass in between two giant rocks.

"So what do you guys wanna do?" Iris asked with an optimistic tone seeing as the other two were just fanning themselves with their hands.

"It's too hot to do anything" Lian complained as she opened her water bottle.

"Hey, why don't we go swimming?" Mar'i suggested as the two girls quickly jumped up.

"Yeah, lets!" They said in unison as they ran back to their cabins to get their swimsuits. Unzipping her luggage, Mar'i was relieved to see that her mom didn't forget to pack her things for swimming. Swimming was one of her favorite hobbies back home, the water was so warm and refreshing; she almost missed Tamaran.

Changing, Mar'i wore a purple and green swimsuit; Lian had a green and red, and Iris with her favorite colors of yellow and red.

Once at the lake, Mar'i and Lian set their towels and bags down on the pebble and dirt floor while Iris ran straight into the water and stood still holding her arms against her as she shivered. It was freezing and she ignored the girls' warning of not going in too deep all at once. "C'm-m-mon, i-i-it's n-not so, so bad!" Iris stuttered as her teeth chattered.

Lian laughed and shook her head in disapproval, "Speedsters, I swear"

"Speedsters?" Mar'i asked curious about the nickname.

"It's what we call Iris and her twin brother Jai. Since their dad is a runner, you know, marathons, triathlons, charities, competitive running and the likes. He's the fastest runner ever and he always wears yellow and red, it's his lucky colors. Iris is pretty close to him so naturally those are her favorite colors; when you see him running, in an instant it's like he's not even there! Like a flash and gust of wind passing by. Iris wants to join the junior cross country running team once we enter middle school so seeing as that won't happen for another few years; she just trains with her dad. Jai sometimes joins the training sessions so that's why we call all three of them Speedsters. They have a cousin that's also a runner, his name is Bart, but he's a little more impulsive" Lian rolled her eyes at the last bit.

Mar'i nodded at the new information, moving her head slightly - she glanced over at Iris who was now splashing about in the water. Mar'i looked at her in awe, to have a close bond with her dad and to even train with him! She suddenly wished she had some sort of hobby, something to share with her dad, whoever he was and wherever he was.

"What about you, Lian?" Mar'i curiously asked as Lian read a magazine.

Flipping through the pages slowly, Lian replied, "I'm more into the relaxed and focused centered sports like archery. My dad loves archery so I usually watch him train in our gym or in the woods. He prefers the woods to the small gym we have at home. I'm too young to handle a bow and arrow since all his are too heavy for me but right now I'm learning the mentality of archery. How to be cool, calm, and focused on my target. When I get older, my dad said he'll sign me up for a local contest around Star City – the city I'm from so I'm looking forward to that" Lian closed her magazine and looked up at Mar'i smiling,

Mar'i was struck with awe again. She wondered that if she had a dad, would he be willing to take her to competitions and have the patients to teach her new things? Part of her was getting excited just by the thought but the other side told her to calm down because she didn't have a dad. Mar'i sighed, bummed out by her negative thoughts winning over; she quickly rummaged through her tote bag and took a mustard packet out.

"That's glorious" She responded softly as she ripped the packet open and started sucking on the sour condiment as Lian gave her a strange look. "You really love mustard, don't you?" Lian asked.

Embarrassed by her actions, Mar'i felt her cheeks growing warmer as she blushed at the question. Nodding, Mar'i explained her love for mustard, "It's really silly; you see, my mom really loves mustard, she eats it with just about anything and with nothing at all sometimes. It's a snack when I'm hungry and it's also a little treat to calm my nerves when I'm scared or nervous about something. When I was little, I would watch her eat it all the time so I guess at some point, I just tried it and ended up liking it"

"Wow, you're the first person I've met that really likes that sour yellow stuff!" Lian smiled.

Mar'i laughed at that as she and Lian playfully pushed each other. Iris was getting bored of being alone in the water so she shouted out to them, "Hey! Quit the chit-chat and get in here! I'm getting lonely!"

Holding hands, Lian and Mar'i entered the water slowly as they shivered at the contact. Iris brushed them off as she teased and swam around them in circles. Once they got used to the water, Lian and Mar'i freely swam around and had a splash war with Iris. Giggling and having a good time, they didn't notice what was happening on the lake's floor.

Bubbling to the top behind Mar'i and Iris was something tall made out of mud. "Umm… guys" Lian slowly said as the two girls talked about something not hearing Lian at all.

The mud thing quickly rose to the top and looked like it had the form of a person like a mud creature. "Hey… Mar'i… Iris…" Lian said slowly as Iris looked at her, "C'mon, Lian I'm trying to tell Mar'i the good part of the story! You're killing the suspense!" Iris winked as she was about to go on with the end of her story.

The mud creature stood there for a good minute until it got bored and roared getting the attention of all three girls. Frozen stiff, Lian screamed, "Monster!" Quickly remembering how to move she began swimming back to the shore as Mar'i and Iris slightly turned to look behind them. Seeing the mud creature, they quickly swam to shore, "Mud Mutant!" Iris yelled as Mar'i quietly followed. She was just as freaked out by the thing as the other two but something told her that something was off about the creature. Once out of the lake, Mar'i narrowed her eyes and noticed a patch of clean skin on the creature's right arm. If she's learned anything from staying up late on weekends watching scary movies with her uncle was that monsters didn't wait for their victims. They either killed you right away or slowly chase after you and this mud thing didn't do either.

Hearing snickering coming from the woods, the girls huddled together as they were bombarded by water balloons. Screaming, Lian and Iris hopped on one foot as they tried guarding themselves from the onslaught of never ending balloons. Mar'i ignored the water balloons as she watched the mud creature come to the shore.

"Damian" She calmly said as the 'creature' laughed and wiped the mud from his face.

"You're smarter than I thought, Grayson" He said as he crossed his arms and shrugged his shoulders as a signal for the balloons to stop.

Once being able to see clearly, Iris noticed Jai hiding behind a large tree with a balloon in his hand and a bucket right next to him. "Jai! You're so dead!" She yelled as she dashed off after he brother who quickly sprinted away.

Lian looked around and noticed the second target, which was Colin who was hiding across from Jai's spot. "I'm sorry!" Colin shouted as Lian shook her head and sighed, walking over to his direction, she placed her hand on his shoulder, "It's okay. Just don't do it again" She calmly said. She was mad since the attack of balloons on her, caused her skin to turn red, but she knew she couldn't blame Colin since he was just one of evil Damian's minions in his grand scheme to bug Mar'i. Lian walked off with Colin as she waved back signaling that she was leaving.

Damian and Mar'i stood face to face as he yawned, "You're really going to start to bore me if I can't get a single reaction from you"

Mar'i raised an eyebrow in confusion. Why was he being so mean to her? Ever since camp started, it seemed like Damian's main goal was to make camp the most traumatic experience ever for her or at least it seemed that way.

"I'm sorry to disappoint. I am Tamaranian, I am quite resilient" Mar'i responded as Damian scoffed, "I swear, sometimes you sound just like him. Always trying to be the peacemaker"

"Who, Damian?"

"That's not important"

"Why do you want to scare me? I have done nothing to you, Damian" Mar'i asked. She wanted to understand him, maybe even become his friend if possible; she disliked having someone not like her for no apparent reason. So what if she was trying to be a peacemaker, she just didn't want to call home to ask if they could pick her up just because someone was being 'mean' to her at camp.

Damian stood there silent for a long time until he noticed the mud on his body becoming hard and cracking. He wanted to leave so he answered her question with, "Simple, you're a girl" Passing her, Damian headed back to camp. Leaving Mar'i alone at the lake, he smirked, he wasn't going to give her a solid reason for why he was targeting her, and he wasn't going to play nice either. He honestly didn't have a real reason why other than he enjoyed messing with her, getting under her skin, seeing how far he could go before getting kicked out of camp, being told on, or going back home.

Balling her hands into fists, Mar'i tried to stay calm. It was really frustrating having to deal with Damian, she wondered how his family even did it. She reminded herself that she was an And'r and therefore not rutha, she was not weak. She would fight back in order to get some peace and quiet. Her home had a rich history of warriors and not losing in their determination. She would not cry, complain, or back down from an older boy who was harassing her.

"Oh X'hal, I do not wish to stoop down to his level. I do not wish to but if I must, I will, and this will mean war" Mar'i whispered as she picked up her towel and wrapped it around herself. Walking back to camp, she thought of her payback.

Damian was going down, one way or another.

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Done! To be continued.

A nice long chapter~

What does Mar'i plan to do about Damian's bullying?

Will Dick's dreams of Kory ever stop taunting him?

Remember to R&R, Alert, etc. Plz & Thankies! :]


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